Press attachment



v Aug. 22, 1944. A. c. BcETTc'HE 2,355,300

PRESS ATTACHMENT Filed Feb. 4, 1942 2 sheets-met 1 Augf 22, 1944. l A. c. BoETTHE'R K 2,356,300

PRES S ATTACHMENT Patented Aug. 22, 1944 UNITED STATES 'PATENT vrFFICE- ,v

' p .2,356,300V y Y Y Y Y,

limissAir'rACinurn-v'r l Arthur C.- oettcher; Chicago, nl. 'Application FebruariT 4, 1942,serial No. 429,549

' j i ione-n. (Cl. 1t- &3)

This invention relates to work tables for vdrill presses or the like, and to the means for supporting the Work table; It is one of the objects of the present invention to provide a work table that may be secured to the column of a column type press and be arranged for easy adjustment vertically and horizontally by means of a number of hand wheels located adjacent one another in such positions that every hand wheel is accessible to" the operatorl while the operator is operating the drill press.

It is one of the objects of the present invention to provide a simple work table support-,fof the above mentioned character which may be readily and quickly applied to standard types of drill presses. 1 It is a stillV further object of the present invention to provide such a work table wherein the three adjusting hand wheels are each accessible to one hand of the operator while the other hand is being used t manipulate the drill. y y

For column mounting the unit of the present invention consists of a baseor knee which slides over the tubular column of the press and is vertically raised or lowered b y means' of a hand wheel which turns a .vertical leadscrew in an adjustably fixed collar. Once thebaserhas been adjusted to its desired position it may be locked in that position bytwo clamping levers.

A saddle plate or carriage is adjustably dovetailed on the top of the base and is transversely adjustableby means of a crank and lead screw mounted inthe base. Y Y Y A work table is mounted in the saddle and moved longitudinally ln dove-tailed guideways by means of a crank turning a lead screw in a bracket mounted on the saddle. Three T-slots are machined in the table surface for receiving clamping T-bolts, and two `parallel machined V,slots in the top of the table provide a convenient method for holding round stock. The combination of V-slots for receivingV the round stock to be worked upon, and theadjacentparallel T-slots for `receiving the clampingbolts for holding the stock in-place greatly facilitates vthe locking of the stock in position and constitutes an important .part of. the present invention.

The attainment of the above and further objects of the Ypresent invention will be apparent from the following specification taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings form-v ingapart thereof. A y A y In the drawings:

Figurev 1A is a perspective viewof a convenl` tional type of drill press on which a table or bed of the present invention has been mounted;

Figure 2 is a top view of the table or bed of Figure l;

Figure 3 is a sectional View taken along the line 3 3 of Figure 2 and looking in the direction of thel arrows;

Figure 4 is a sectional View taken along the line 4-4 of Figure 2 and looking in the direction of the arrows; and l Figure 5 is a sectional View taken along theline 5-5 of Figure `3 and looking in the direction ofthe arrows.

In the accompanying drawings like reference numerals indicate like parts in the various figures.

Reference may now be had more particularly to Figure l. `At I I have shown a conventional drill press of the type to which the present invention is applicable. The drill press includes the usual base 2, a cylindrical upright column 3 and head 4. The head 4 includes the usual driving and speed changing mechanisms for driving a drill B at the desired speed, and the usual handle 1 for lowering the drill bit to the Work. In the present instance the work is adapted to be clamped or otherwise secured upon a work table I0 that is adustably mounted on the column 3. The work table includes a supporting split v'ring Il in the form of a cylindrical 'sleeve which embraces the upright column 3 and `is keyed against rotation thereon by a bar key l2 that extends in a longitudinal slot in the column 3 and in a corresponding slot in the split ring ll. The bar key thus retains the split ring against turning on the column while at the same time permitting longitudinal movement thereon. The split ring Il extends for a substantial distance lengthwise of the column 3 and'ts snugly therearound so as to prevent any possible tilting of the base I6 which is integral with the split ring H. Suitable hand tightened locking bolts Il-Il extend through clamping ears |8-l8 of the split ring Il. The bolts draw the ears together for locking the base in'its vertically adjustedposition on the column 3 by clamping the split ring tightly around the column 3. For general working operations it is not necessary to lock the split ring about the column 3. The

split ring is supported in its adjusted position in a manner to be presently described.

A supporting or clamping ring 20, which is also in the form of a split ring, embraces the column 3 and has a keyway slot therein for receiving the-bar key |-2f.- The clamping ring is positioned on the column 3 in any desired vertical position and is locked in place by a locking bolt 2| that extends through a pair of ears on the clamping ring 20 similar to the ears I8 of the ring II. The clamping ring 20 is screw threaded to receive a vertical lead screw 22 that extends through the base I6 into and threads through the stationary collar or clamping ring 20. The lead screw is provided with a shoulder upon which an enlargement at the bottom of the base I6 rests, as may be seen from Figure 3. At the top of the lead screw there is provided a bevel gear 28 which meshes with a similar bevel gear 29 (Figs. 2 and 5) which is keyed to a hand operated shaft 3| that extends through the base I6,

and is rotated by a hand wheel 32. Thus when the collar 20 is clamped in place and the clamping ring Il is loose on the column 3 the baseV I6 may be adjusted vertically by turning the hand wheel 32 to turn the train of gearing including the vertical lead screw 22 that threads up and down in the clamping ring 20. It is apparent that due to the worm thread of the lead screw 22 a large amount of turning of the hand wheel 32 will result in a small amount of vertical movement of the base I6. There is thus provided a micromatic vertical adjusting means for raising and lowering the base I6 that ultimately supports the work on the work table l0.

A carriage 35 is mounted on the base I6 for horizontal movement towards and away from the column 3. To support the carriage the base I6 is vprovided with a at top portion 36 including two guideways 31-31 the top surfaces of which are flat to constitute a support for the carriage and the side surfaces of which are beveled as indicated at 38 (Fig, 4), to t into a correspondingly beveled groove at the base of the carriage 35. The carriage 35 has a downward projection 39 bolted thereto which extends into the space between the guideways 31, las may be seen in Figures 3 'and 4. A lead screw 49 is journalled in the base I6 between the guideways 31-31 Yand threads into and through the projection 39. The lead screw is held against longitudinal movement in its bearing so that as the lead screw is rotated the projection 39 moves along the lead screw thus moving the carriage forward or backward along the guideways 31. The lead screw is provided with the usual hand operating wheel or crank 42 for turning the same. AThus upon turning the lead screw in one direction or the other the carriage is moved along the guideway towards or away from the column 3.

The carriage 35 slidably supports the work table lll. To this eiTect the top surface of the carriage is provided with supporting guideways 44 for supporting the table lll. The table I has tapered projections 43-45 that extend into a beveled trackway 46 that is formed in and extends transversely of the carriage 35 forming a dove-tail joint. A lead screw ll'threads through a projection 41 in the carriage 35 with an opposite end of the lead screw journalled in the table l0 against longitudinal movement with respect to the table. The lead screw 46 has a hand operated wheel or crank 41 secured thereto for turning the lead screw. Thus upon rotation of the lead screw the table l0 is shifted lengthwise in a direction at right angles to the guideways 31 of the carriage 35. It is thus possible to move the table crosswise of the carriage 35 and to move the table along the carriage 35 as well as to raise or lower` the work table. There is thus provided angles to one another, the individual movements beings effected by the three crank Wheels 32, 42 and 41', all three of which are located adjacent one another so that an operator can reach and manipulate any two of them simultaneously. This is of importance since this will permit a very quick delicate adjustment of the work table with respect to the drill 6 so as to bring any desired point on the work table immediately beneath the drill 6.

Means is provided for locking the carriage 35 with respect to the base I6. This consists of a small screw 48 operated by a handle 48' which bears against a shim 49 between one of the guideways 31 and the carriage 35. In a like manner .means is provided for locking the table I0 against crosswise movement with respect to the carriage 35, said means consisting of a screw 50 threaded a universal movement in three directions atright through the carriage 35 and operated by a small handle 5l and pressing against a shim 52 between the carriage 35 and the work table l0, as may be seen in Figure 3. Suitable limiting stops 53-54 are carried by the forward edge of the table, slidable in a T-shaped slot 55 in the work table and locked in adjustable position by bolts 56 the heads of which are slidable inthe T-shaped slots. Thus by setting the limiting stops in any desired position the limits of motion of the table l0 with respect to the carriage 35 may be xed since the limiting stops abut against the carriage 35. Similar limiting stops may be provided for limiting the movement of the carriage 35 with respect to the base I6.

The leadscrews 40 and 46' are supported in the same manner so that a description of the support for'one of the screws will suffice for the other also. .The support for the lead screw 40, illustrated in Figure 3, includes a knurled locking nut 51 threaded on'a spacing and thrust bushing 58 which is externally threaded to receive the locking nut and also to receive a graduated dial 59 that bears against a sleeveY 60 that is secured to the base` I6 and has an index mark thereon cooperating with a rotatable dial. The lead screw 40 also has a thrust washer 6l on the end thereof opposite the sleeve 60 to hold the assembly together. With each revolution of the lead screw 40 the dial makes one turn and the carriage advances on the base a given amount. The calibrations on the dial will'indicate fractions of that amount.V l l The top of the work table I0 is provided with longitudinally extending T-shaped slots 62-62- 62 parallel to one another and separated by parallel V-shaped slots 63-64. The T-shaped slots are adapted to receive the heads of bolts the Shanks of which extend upwardly above the table IU and provide means for clamping the work to the table. The V-shaped slots constitute guideways for receiving the work, especially if they work is in the form of rods, pipes, tubes, or the like, which can lie in the V-slots 63 and 64. The V- slots 63 facilitate positioning of the work on the table and assure proper alignment of the work with respect to the two horizontal directions of motion of the work table under control of the lead screws 4U and 46. Figure 3 shows a straight piece of round stock B5, such as a. rod, positioned in one of the V-slots 64 and clamped in place by one or more bolts 66 the heads of which are in a T-slot and the shanks of which extend through a hole in a clamping plate 61 and are tightened by nuts 68. One end of the plate 61 bears against the work and the other end bears against a short removable spacer block 69 interposed between the plate 61 and the work table IIJ. If desired, a plurality of spaced clamping plates may be used to lock the work in place, each block being held by a separate bolt 66.

It is apparent from the description thus far given that the present invention provides a simple attachment that may be secured to an existing press and will permit an adjustment of the Work table vertically as desired, and an additional adjustment horizontally in each of two directions at right angles to one another. It is also apparent that the operating handles 42 and 41 are sufficiently close together so that an operator standing in front of the press in position to operate the press handle 'l can grasp both handles 42 and 4l simultaneously, or either one of those two and the handle 33, or may grasp any one of those three handles with one hand while operating the drill handle 'I to raise or lower the drill. This gives a flexibility of operation hitherto unattainable in low cost machines.

In compliance with the requirements of the patent statutes I have here shown and described a preferred embodiment of my invention. It is,

however, to be understood that the invention is not limited to the precise construction here shown, the same being merely illustrative of the principles of the invention.

What I consider new and desired to secure by Letters Patent is:

A press attachment comprising a collar adapted to embrace an upright main column of a press and movable vertically thereon, means for securely clamping the collar in place in any position vertically along the column, a base above the collar and adapted to embrace the same main column and slide vertically thereon, a vertical lead screw connection between the base and the collar for shifting the base vertically towards and away from the collar, means including a hori- Zonta] rotatable operating shaft and gearing connecting the shaft with the screw for turning the lead screw to impart the vertical movement to the base, a carriage slidably mounted on said base, means including a rotatable operating shaft extending from the front towards the rear of said carriage for imparting a, sliding movement to the carriage, a Work table on said carriage and movable thereon in a direction at right angles to the direction of movement of the carriage on the base, means including a rotatable operating shaft extending from one transverse side of the work table towards the opposite side thereof for imparting movement `to the table with respect to the carriage, said two last mentioned shafts being horizontal and at right angles to one another and both within simultaneous reach of a press operator standing in front of said attachment, and said first operating shaft terminating between the other two operating shafts whereby an operator can operate any two of the shafts simultaneously while the operator is in his press-operating position.

ARTHUR C. BOETTCHER. 

